The British Army could be unable to fight abroad due to underfunding, a leaked letter from a top general has warned.
General Sir Patrick Sanders claimed Britain's defences have been “asset-sweated” and the army could be reduced to a “domestically-focused land force”.
The Chief of the General Staff slammed plans to allocate military housing based on family size rather than rank.
In a letter obtained by The Sunday Telegraph he wrote: “For some time, we have asset-sweated the military.
Soldiers parade on the Regimental square as they graduate from the Army Foundation College
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“Our strategic resilience is at risk, and we might inadvertently reduce ourselves to a smaller, static and domestically focused land force.
“I am not sure that this is either the Army the nation needs, or the one that policymakers want.”
General Sir Patrick hit the headlines last month after claiming the UK should “train and equip” a citizen army for a future land conflict.
The comments came after it was revealed the British military was facing a recruitment crisis.
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General Sir Patrick Sanders has said that Britain should brace itself to fight a war in the futurePAColonel Richard Kemp, who served in both the Middle East and Northern Ireland, voiced his concern about General Sir Patrick’s latest letter.
He said: “It is very worrying that given the multiple threats from China, Russia and Iran, our Armed Forces have been gutted of the resources required to fight effectively.”
However, General Sir Patrick’s letter also appeared to slam the Ministry of Defence over its new housing initiative.
The New Accommodation Offer looks to allocate properties based on family size.
A petition created by the wives of soldiers called for a review of the policy.
The British Army is in the midst of a recruitment crisis
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The petition has so far obtained more than 16,000 signatures.
Critics of the policy warn retention rates in the Armed Forces will continue to suffer if the policy goes through unchanged.
Major General Julian Thompson echoed concerns by suggesting mid-rank commanders could leave if the initiative gets the all-clear.
General Sir Patrick’s letter also defended the army’s controversial diversity policies, saying: “I make no apology for seeking an Army that reflects the society we serve.”
A spokesman from the Ministry of Defence said: “Our Armed Forces are always ready to protect and defend the nation, with more than £50billion being spent on defence this year alone... to ensure the Army has the highest quality equipment for the battlefield.”